City partners with San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce at 2017 Business Connect Summit

City of San Antonio encourages small businesses to participate in $949 million in City contracts.

SAN ANTONIO (Oct. 17, 2017) - The City of San Antonio is partnering with the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce to host the 2017 Business Connect Summit on Tuesday, October 31 at the Freeman Expo Hall from 10 am to 3 pm. This year’s free summit is focusing on providing a matchmaking event to connect prime contractors and subcontractors for the City of San Antonio’s construction contracts totaling $949 million. The contract dollars are coming from two large Transportation & Capital Improvement programs, including $850 million from the 2017-2022 Bond Program and $99 million from the 2018 Street Maintenance Program. Contractors and suppliers who are certified as Small, Minority, and Women Business Enterprises (S/M/WBEs) with the South Central Texas Regional Certification Agency, are encouraged to attend.

“This year’s Business Connect Summit is a great opportunity for potential contractors and suppliers to connect and learn more about available City contracts, especially local small, minority, and women-owned businesses enterprises,” stated Mike Frisbie, Transportation & Capital Improvements Director and City Engineer. “The City recently approved 107 design contracts totaling $58 million, of which 65% is planned to be paid to small businesses. Of the 65% to be paid to small businesses, 50% is to be paid to those who are also minority or women-owned.”

The City’s $850 million 2017-2022 Bond Program is an unprecedented capital investment for San Antonio. Improved and new streets, bridges, sidewalks, drainage, parks, libraries and public safety facilities will be constructed all over the city. The FY 2018 Street Maintenance Program is also a major investment for the City. In addition the baseline funding of $64 million designated for streets, an additional $35 million has been allocated, totaling $99 million for street improvements.

If you are interested in scheduling a meeting with a potential prime contractor on the day of the event, please contact Veronica De La Torre, Vice President of Special Events-San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, at veronicad@sahcc.org. Walk-ins are welcome, however this will not guarantee a meeting. The City of San Antonio’s Small Business Office will also be in attendance to inform S/M/WBEs of the tools the City offers that either incentivize S/M/WBEs through evaluation preference points to make them more competitive when bidding on City work or required to be utilized as subcontractors in order for prime contractors/consultants to be response to a bid.